A few days later, in the afternoon.

It was around the time when the carriage started to drive out of the garden.

“A date in town, just the two of us! I’m so excited, Lady Bi!”

Bianca exclaimed with great enthusiasm as she watched the mansion gradually recede through the window.

Bianca and I had decided to take some time to explore the northern town together before departing for the capital to attend the Emperor’s birthday celebration.

It was a sudden plan made this morning while chatting with Bianca during her visit to the Dark Garden.

‘If I had known she would be this happy, I would have taken her out more often.’

I nodded while gently stroking Bianca’s head as she smiled brightly.

“Me too, Bianca. Today, let’s go wherever Bianca wants. I’m sure I’ll have fun anywhere as long as I’m with Bianca.”

“Hehe, me too! I think I’m even more excited because it’s such a sudden plan!”

It was then that her small hand tightly gripped mine.

The running carriage suddenly came to a halt in front of the castle gate.

“Would you please open the window for a moment?”

A knight outside the carriage politely requested while knocking on the window.

It seemed the rumor about increased security around the castle walls was true.

‘Well, they’ll let us through quickly once they realize it’s me.’

With that thought, I carelessly opened the window. At that moment.

“Lady Bi…!”

The knight’s face turned pale upon seeing my face.

‘Are there still people in this castle who turn white just by seeing me?’

As I tilted my head in confusion, the knight hurriedly called out to those around him.

“Lady Bi is in the carriage!”

This caused a commotion around the carriage.

“Lady Bi?!”

“What are you dawdling for! Report to the Duke immediately!”

“Ah, y-yes…!”

The lower-ranking knight who received the order ran hurriedly towards the Light Mansion.

Then, the knight standing in front of the window continued with a troubled expression.

“Lady Bi, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait for a moment. You cannot leave through this gate right now.”

“What do you mean?”

It was strange that the guards were stopping people from leaving rather than entering the castle.

And me, the Duchess, no less?

“Why are you holding Lady Bi and me back? Is something happening inside the Duke’s castle? There was nothing unusual when I left the Light Mansion this morning…”

Bianca seemed as bewildered by the situation as I was.

When the child asked with wide eyes, the knight shook his head with a troubled expression.

“No, nothing unusual, but…”

“Then why?”

“Actually, it’s… the Duke’s orders.”

The knight paused briefly and glanced at me.

“He ordered us to immediately report if Lady Bi tried to leave the castle…”

“Not Bianca… but me?”

Bianca and I were exchanging puzzled looks when suddenly.

“The Duke is coming!”

A young knight’s shout was heard from the garden behind the carriage.

And not long after, the carriage door was roughly flung open.

Bang-!

Simultaneously revealed outside the open door was Cedric with a flushed face.

“Rebecca, where are you trying to go?”

He asked through gritted teeth after taking a few rough breaths.

His necktie was completely loosened, and his usually neat hair was disheveled.

As if that wasn’t enough, he roughly unbuttoned the top of his shirt and leaned one arm against the doorframe, staring at me.

His gaze gradually sharpened.

“There was definitely no outing scheduled in your itinerary today.”

Although quite some time had passed since returning from Greyzone village, it seemed Cedric’s anger towards me had not yet subsided.

‘Even so, this is too much. Just because I made a mistake that day, is he trying to imprison me like a criminal?’

As feelings of injustice welled up inside me, it was then.

Bianca, who had been observing the situation from behind, suddenly poked her head out.

“Duke?”

Cedric’s eyes slowly widened, as if Bianca’s appearance was completely unexpected.

“Bianca, why are you here…?”

“Why? Because I was in the middle of going out to town with her.”

I answered curtly on Bianca’s behalf, and Cedric blinked slowly.

Then, with a relieved expression, he exhaled softly.

“…Thank goodness.”

I raised an eyebrow at Cedric, who was muttering incomprehensibly.

“Why are the knights stopping my carriage? I know you’re angry with me, but this is going too far!”

When I protested vehemently, Cedric blinked slowly as if taken aback.

“Rebecca, that’s not it…”

Cedric suddenly stopped speaking and bit his lower lip.

A look of confusion was evident on his face.

“…Damn, I don’t even have a proper excuse.”

Cedric ran his large hand through his forehead a couple of times.

As a result, his fallen bangs covered one eye.

It was an extremely disheveled appearance, incomparable to his usually perfect, picture-like composure.

The knight who had been holding the carriage cautiously approached his side.

“Your Grace, what should we do? Is it alright to let Lady Bi leave?”

At the same time, an inexplicable anxiety began to color Cedric’s eyes once again.

“Look over there, Lady Bi! There are colored sugar candies!”

Bianca couldn’t stop smiling, seemingly excited by the lively atmosphere of the market.

“If there’s anything you want to try eating, just tell me. I’ll keep it a secret from your nanny.”

“Really?!”

I smiled briefly as I watched Bianca cup her cheeks in delight.

“But…”

I turned my head to the side as I continued speaking.

“Why are you here?”

I looked at him without hiding my bewilderment, but Cedric merely shrugged nonchalantly.

“I thought I’d take a look around town after a long time.”

“You visit town often because of the gift exchange. You were here just a few days ago, so what’s this…”

Ignoring my words, he winked at Bianca.

“Bianca, is it okay if I join your date?”

After pondering for a moment, Bianca eventually nodded with a broad smile.

“Of course. Actually, I prefer it this way!”

“But Bianca…”

As I tried to object, Bianca pushed out her lower lip.

“Actually, I… I was so lonely while staying in the capital. I was also really envious of friends who walked through town holding hands between their parents…”

Saying that, Bianca ran between Cedric and me, grabbing both our hands.

“Lady Bi. Won’t you grant me one wish?”

Bianca looked up at me, blinking her earnest eyes.

‘To think that simply holding hands with family members and walking down the street was her wish.’

It was too modest a wish for the daughter of the Twins Grand Duchy.

Thinking that made my nose tingle, and I had no choice but to nod.

“Alright. But just for today, okay?”

“Hehe, yes! Thank you, Lady Bi!”

Bianca’s bright smile made me feel sorry for her.

‘Right. Once the divorce is revealed, I’ll have to leave soon, so let’s grant at least one of Bianca’s wishes before then.’

I erased my bitter expression and forced a bright smile.

“Let’s go, Cedric.”

A pleasant curve formed on Cedric’s lips.

“Good. If we go a little further, there’s a shopping street often frequented by noble young ladies, so I’ll guide you there.”

The street Cedric mentioned was near the south gate of the gift exchange.

As we entered the street, the lively voices of merchants could be heard from all around.

While Bianca’s eyes were drawn in all directions, she gripped Cedric’s and my hands even tighter.

Her face was full of a desire to secretly show off to people.

“Bianca, is there anything you want?”

“Huh? Oh, no…”

Bianca smiled shyly and pursed her lips.

“…I was just wondering if any young ladies from other families might be out.”

“You want to show them that you’re walking hand in hand with the Duke and me?”

“What? Ah…”

Bianca, who had blushed in surprise, slowly nodded her head.

“Hehe, yes…”

Watching that cute yet pitiful sight, I tapped my chin with my finger.

“Hmm. Since it’s before the birthday celebration, they might be out… But it’s crowded here, and Bianca is still small, so you might not be easily seen?”

At my words, Bianca hung her head dejectedly.

“I guess you’re right…”

I smiled gently at Bianca and then turned to face Cedric.

“Cedric. When I count to three, lift Bianca’s arms. Got it?”

“Bianca’s arms? Why?”

“Okay! One, twoo… three!”

Simultaneously, Bianca’s body floated up.

Bianca, who had screamed in surprise, burst into laughter as soon as she landed on the ground.

“If we lift you up high like this, won’t the other young ladies be able to see you better?”

Bianca nodded her head vigorously.

“Yes, yes! Lady Bi! This is so fun!”

“Is it fun? Shall we do it once more? One, twoo, three!”

Just as Cedric and I were smiling pleasantly while watching the delighted Bianca, it happened.

Amidst the murmuring crowd, an angry male voice was heard from somewhere.

“Please, please! Shut that mouth, Camilla!”

.

.

.

“I’ve told you time and time again! I won’t tolerate your crazy actions anymore!”

The aggressive voice repeatedly tore through the surrounding air sharply.

I couldn’t help but be surprised when I turned my head towards the source of the sound.

‘That person is… Count Dmitri, isn’t it?’

Although many onlookers had gathered around the Count, he seemed oblivious to them, already consumed by anger.

He had always shown a gentle demeanor while tolerating his wife Camilla’s misdeeds.

‘For such a man to be this angry, what on earth happened?’

I carefully pushed through the onlookers and approached bit by bit.

“Darling, please… d-don’t do this! If just this once, just this one gift investment, I could cover all the debts from the sugar cane!”

As I feared, the woman pleading at the angry Count’s feet was indeed Camilla.

But that wasn’t the only shocking sight.

Her dress and shoes, which must have been sparkling, had all lost their luster, and not a single piece of jewelry was visible.

An appearance incomparably shabby compared to before.

Camilla cried out desperately towards her husband.

“D-darling, please give me just one more chance! I, I can make up for everything, I tell you!”

However, Count Dmitri only gritted his teeth as he looked down at her with disgusted eyes.

“Without even asking my opinion, you borrowed money from loan sharks on your own, and on top of that, you recklessly invested that money in futile ventures!”

After shouting thus, the Count roughly shook off Camilla’s hand that was grabbing him.

Camilla helplessly collapsed onto the dirt ground along with the blue handkerchief she had been barely holding.

“Ugh! Darling…!”

Camilla groaned in pain as she rolled on the ground, but Count Dmitri paid no heed.

No, rather, he began to pour out even harsher invectives.

“What do you plan to do about our family’s fortune that you’ve squandered because of you? The loan sharks visiting my mansion every day, the farmers protesting for compensation… I’m even disgusted at the sight of your shameless face now!”